Testicular Cancer

Testicular Cancer

Thesis Statement

“Treatment of Testicular Cancer requires extra care of several years even after its successful treatment.”

Introduction

The testicles are the male organs in which the formation of sperm and male hormones takes place. They have a function similar to that of the ovaries in women. The testicles are contained in the scrotum, which is a bag of skin located directly under the penis. Testicular cancer is a rare form of male cancer, in which cancer cells are formed from the tissue of one or both testicles (Laguna, 2010).

In this paper we will study the causes of testicular cancer and the prevailing rate of this disease in men. Furthermore, the paper will discuss the etiology of the disease together with the types of this disease. In addition, the paper will also discuss the symptoms of Testicular cancer and the therapies to cure it. In the end the paper will provide some preventive measures and recommendations.

Discussion

The testicular cancer is a fairly rare disease. In fact, testicular tumors represent about 1% of all cancers and about 6% of all those of the male urogenital apparatus. Despite being a rare disease, testicular tumors are the most common malignant form of cancer in males who are aged between 20 and 35 years (Brantus, 2007).

The testicles, which are also called male gonads or didimi, are two and are contained in a fibromuscular sac called the scrotum externally suspended below the pubic symphysis. Their main function is to produce sperm and androgens such as, testosterone (Data retrieved from: http://www.cancer.org).

Etiology

The causes of testicular cancer are unknown, but there are several factors that may favor the onset. The main risk factors for testicular cancer include the following:

Cryptorchidism (Undescended of one of the testes in the scrotal sac)

Klinefelter's syndrome (a disease caused by a chromosomal abnormality)

History or family history of testicular cancer

Abnormal testicular development (gonadal dysgenesis).

From the above stated factors, the one that most increases the likelihood of testicular cancer is definitely the cryptorchidism. It is the fact that this condition increases the probability of testicular cancer by about 40 times than the general population. The risk varies according to the testicle is considered in the abdomen or in the groin. If the testicles are considered in abdomen, the risk appears to be higher. If cryptorchidism is corrected by the sixth year of age, the odds of risk decrease sharply (Brantus, 2007).

Moreover, Klinefelter syndrome is also considered as a risk factor of some importance. It is a disease caused by the presence of an extra X sex chromosome in males. The risk of occurrence increases, albeit reduced, if a person has a brother or a father who contract this type of cancer. Even personal history increases the risk; in fact, who had a testicular cancer has 2-5% chance of developing the same type of cancer, depending on the testicle in the next 25 years at diagnosis (Hasan, 2011). There is an increased risk even in case of gonadal dysgenesis. It is a disease of which there are 5 types, ...